Mortimer's Morsel - II

His name was Mortimer the ant
a laborer by trade
but all he cared to do was fantasize
about his chance, albeit scant
to tout a find he’d made
becoming someone ants could idolize
perhaps with statues honoring his prize.

But all the other workers jeered
when Mortimer began
to ramble on about his crazy scheme
they knew that he was really weird
so patronized his plan
which only made his anxious noggin team
with hope that he would realize his dream.

“You’ll see” he’d say with eyes alight
“I’ll find a thing we need
and everyone will say my name with love.”
“Oh sure you will.” they’d all recite
“You’re destined to succeed
and lead us to a paradise above!”
while snorting with each adolescent shove.

But Mortimer was so consumed
with his unlikely fate
he never even noticed their contempt
or when his fellow workers fumed
because he made them wait
and left his working area unkempt,
what made that joker think he was exempt?

Well one such worker so inclined
was quite the brutish sort
and couldn’t fight the urge to intervene,
the other workers that had whined
felt sorry for old Mort
for now he had to deal with Augustine,
the meanest ant their kind had ever seen.